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Socceroos charm local school children

PETER CAVE: Australia has played its first game on South African soil beating Denmark one-nil at the Roodepoort Athletics Stadium in front of a crowd of newly converted Socceroos fans.

Almost all of the crowd was made up of local school kids from townships who won't get the chance to go to any games when the World Cup kicks off in eight days time.

Ned Hall reports.

(Sound of kids singing)

NED HALL: Playing at altitude with the controversial new World Cup ball, Australia's players got their first taste of the South African experience.

Whilst some Australian fans had got their hands on tickets, the bulk of those watching were from township schools and happy to adopt their new team.

TEACHER: And we're going to see the Australian team. What do they call themselves by the way?

SCHOOL KIDS: They called the Australian team.

TEACHER: Yeah, but they've got another name. They're?

SCHOOL KIDS: The Socceroos.

TEACHER: The Socceroos. So we're very, very fortunate.

NED HALL: Although not totally sure of the name of the team they are supporting, the children of Masetlwe Primary School could give some more established supporter groups a run for their money.

SUPPORTER: Aussie, Aussie, Aussie.

SCHOOL KIDS: Oi, oi, oi.

SUPPORTER: Aussie, Aussie, Aussie.

SCHOOL KIDS: Oi, oi, oi.

SUPPORTER: Aussie.

SCHOOL KIDS: Oi.

SUPPORTER: Aussie.

SCHOOL KIDS: Oi.

SUPPORTER: Aussie, Aussie, Aussie.

SCHOOL KIDS: Oi, oi, oi.

SUPPORTER: Yeah.

(Sound of clapping)

NED HALL: The school is part of the lapdesk program, which provides kids and schools a temporary solution to the shortage of desks in classrooms and has been helped by the Australian High Commission. In turn, the children helped Australia.

TEACHER: Socceroos.

SCHOOL KIDS: Socceroos.

NED HALL: On a site about the size of a penalty area, it's the only school for the sprawling 65,000 person settlement. There are more than 60 children per class and although they're all excited about the World Cup, there is no chance they'll be able to afford the tickets.

(Sound of vuvuzela)

But armed with this World Cup's must have item, the vuvuzela; they got to watch two of the competing nations. As for the game, both teams struggled with the ball, the altitude and the pitch. Josh Kennedy scored the only goal with Everton coming through the game safely.

Harry Kewell didn't play but the coach didn't want to say too much about him.

PIM VERBEEK: What is it about Harry? Who cares about Harry? That is everything you are writing about for the last 10 days. Speak about the tactics, speak about the players who are training hard, speak about the players who do a great job. Harry will be on the training on Thursday, everybody happy in Australia now, Harry will be on the field.

NED HALL: More improvement to come from the Australians with a game against the USA on Saturday and another chance to get used to the vuvuzela.

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